South Africa Flashcards
What was the name of the company responsible for founding Cape Town and who was the founder who is responsible for the establishment of South Africa’s first vineyard? What was the grape in this vineyard?
Dutch East India Company
Johan van Riebeeck
Muscat of Alexandria
Who founded Constantia, when, and in what town is it located?
Simon Van der Stel
Cape Town
What is the name of the wine produced at Constantia that became the first New World wine to be highly acclaimed worldwide? What grapes was it made from and in what style?
Vin de Constance Sweet wine from Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
In 1778 who bought Groot Constantia and revived the Vin de Constance?
Hendrik Cloete
Why did South Africa experience such a successful export market from the early 19th century up to 1861? What halted this success? Why?
Napoleonic Wars cut off Britain from her traditional wine trade markets and South Africa filled this void until 1861.
British abolition of preferential tariffs renewed trading with the French making it difficult for South Africa to compete
Following phylloxera, what decisions resulted into long-term decline of South Africa’s wine industry?
The planting of high-yielding vines on American rootstocks created a surplus of wine and demand failed to meet supply and the Cape wine industry fell into long-term decline.
What does KWV stand for, when was it founded, and what was its purpose? How did it help the industry? What drawbacks were there due to its existence?
Kooperative Wijnbouwers Vereniging van Zuid-Africa, founded in 1918
The purpose was to regulate wine production through enforced quotas and minimum pricing schemes.Saved wholesalers from bankruptcy, but favored quantity over quality stunting the progression of quality-minded production.
What crossing led to the creation of Pinotage? Who was responsible for its creation?
Pinot Noir x Cinsault
Abraham Perold
When was the WO system put into place and what was its purpose?
1973 Laws were created emphasizing grape variety and geographical origin which effectively served as regulations in different delimited areas.
What happened in 1994 and 1997 that resulted in new hope for the South African wine industry?
Apartheid ends in 1994
In 1997 KWV was transformed into a private company and international economic sanctions and boycotts were lifted, opening export markets
Additionally KWV relinquished statutory producers and scrapped quotas as early as 1992, encouraging growers to focus on quality.
What does IPW stand for, when was it launched, and what did it provide?
Integrated Production of Wine Schemes (IPW) was launched in 1998
Provided a voluntary means of certification for WO producers wishing to comply with sustainable environmental standards.
What two ocean currents have the biggest effects on the Coastal Regions of South Africa and what kind of waters did they bring to the regions?
Agulhas (Mozambique) current which brings warm water from the Indian Ocean to the east
Benguela current which brings cool water from the Southern Ocean.
What is the Cape Doctor and why is it named as such?
Arid, gale-force wind that blows from the southeast during the Spring and summer moderating temperatures and reducing disease pressure form mildew and other fungi. (hence the name Cape DOCTOR)
What are the major disease pressures affecting South African vineyards? (2 fungal, 2 viral)
Powdery and Downy Mildew (fungal)
Leafroll and fanleaf (Viral)
What percentage of grapes used and vintage must be employed for a wine to be labeled with either said grape or vintage listed?
85% for both
If a wine is a blend, what percentage of grape must be used for it to be listed on the label?
Minimum 20%
If an area of production is listed on the label, what percentage of the fruit must come from that listed area?
100%
If the term “Single Vineyard” is used on the wine label what stipulations are required for a wine to be labeled an Estate Wine?
Must be produced form contiguous parcels of vineyard land, and vilified and bottled on a single property.
If a winery voluntarily chooses not to become WO certified what is not allowed to be listed on the wine label?
Vintage, varietal, or area of production
List the types of production areas from largest to smallest in South Africa?
Geographical Unit
Production areas, largest to smallest: Geographical Units (ie. Western Cape) Region (ie. Klein Karoo, Olifants River) District (ie. Walker Bay, Cape Agulhas) Ward (ie. Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Bot River)
What are the five Geographical Units of South Africa?
Western Cape Northern Cape Eastern Cape Limpopo Kwazulu-Natal
What are the regions of the Western Cape? (6)
Breede River Valley Cape South Coast Coastal Klein Karoo Olifants River Boberg River (Fortified wines of Paarl, Franchoek & Tulbagh)
What are the two districts of Northern Cape?
Douglas
Sutherland-Karoo
What are the three wards without a district in the Northern Cape?
Central Orange River
Hartswater
Prieska
